How to Identify a LaPerm Cat

By eHow Pets Editor

Instructions

Step 1:
Look at the shape of the cat's head. It is much like the Siamese in its triangular shape, but is a bit more rounded. The forehead is pretty flat from ear to ear. As with their curly coat, their whiskers are also curly.
Step 2:
Peer deep into the eyes of the cat. They will be large and almond shaped. They are set apart by a fair bit and are slightly slanted.
Step 3:
Look at their ears. They are flared and cupped. They are medium to large in size and often have lynx-type tufts on the ears.
Step 4:
Examine the overall condition and shape of the body. The LaPerm is slightly like a Siamese cat in the body. The legs are long and slender with the hind legs slightly longer than the front legs, which raises the tail up and over the level of the shoulders. The cat is well muscled.
Step 5:
Feel the length of the tail. Its length is proportionate to the length of the body, is wide and tapers to a somewhat fine tip on the end. The hair on the tail has been called a "bottle brush tail."
Step 6:
Examine and feel the coat of the cat. The best-known feature of the LaPerm is their curly hair. It is very curly. It makes you want to say it's having a really bad hair day or that it looks like it just had a perm. The hair is very curly to wavy. The LaPerm comes in both long-haired and short-haired varieties.

Tips & Warnings

The LaPerm is a very low maintenance cat. They don't shed much and require nothing more than a bath and towel dry to keep them clean. They are gentle and very affectionate.
These cats seek out human contact and love to be held. They love to get in your face and rub noses and faces with you. They are also known as good hunters due to the background of being a farm cat.

Resources

More Puppy Pages

How to Identify a Cornish Rex Cat

The Cornish Rex cat and the Devon Rex cats are distinct and separate breeds although they have many similar characteristics. Mated together however, they can't reproduce the characteristics of either of the two breeds. These cats both originated in...

Known for their grace, elegant colors and oriental eyes, Siamese cats have been around for a while. Prior to the '80s, though, there was basically only one breed to choose from, the traditional "Applehead." A group of breeders came together wanting to...

The smooth-moving Great Pyrenees exhibits power and agility in its well-balanced stride. This is a gentle and affectionate breed, but can be territorial and protective of its family when necessary. Its general demeanor shows composure and its patience...

Balinese cats are the close cousins of the more famous Siamese. They are a cat originating from the Orient and are popular in cat shows throughout the country for their grace and poise. They are so much admired for their strength tempered with elegance...

The Tonkinese cat is a man-made breed that was created in North America in the 1970s. A cross between the Burmese and the Siamese generated the breed. The resulting cat was the best of both breeds in one cat. Read on to learn more.